Brush construction

ABSTRACT

A brush having a molded plastic handle with bristle-receiving grooves formed therein and having a specific wire-anchoring recess to positively position the bristle-mounting wire by forming a shoulder abutment therewith to prevent forward slippage of said wire. The recess not only prevents slippage of the wire but in combination with the groove configuration maintains the desired forwardly diverging orientation of the bristle.

Elite ttes 101 Pichelman Nov. 25, 1975 [5 1 BRUSH CONSTRUCTION 3,137,0206/1964 Tilgner 300/21 x or: Franklin 1) Pichelman, FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS Mmneapohs, 28,760 12/1910 United Kingdom l5/l8 9 [73]Assignee: Flo-Pac Corporation, Minneapolis,

Minn. Primary ExaminerDaniel Blum [22] Filed: g 28, 1974 Attorney,Agent, or FzrmJohn W Adams Appl. No.: 501,047

[1.5. CI. 15/207 Int. Cl. A46B 3/16 Field of Search 15/164, 182, 189,199,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 397,076 1/1889 Gladding15/207 1,979,240 11/1934 Adelman 15/182 X [57] ABSTRACT A brush having amolded plastic handle with bristlereceiving grooves formed therein andhaving a specific wire-anchoring recess to positively position thebristlemounting wire by forming a shoulder abutment therewith to preventforward slippage of said wire. The recess not only prevents slippage ofthe wire but in combination with the groove configuration maintains thedesired forwardly diverging orientation of the bristle.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,21,246

US. Patent US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,921,246

BRUSH CONSTRUCTION In the past brush spindles or handles have been madefrom wood with the bristle receiving grooves being formed on a lathe.This permits the grooves to be undercut on the back side to form aninverted sloping rear groove surface which engages the bristle held inthe groove by the anchoring wire and forces them into forwardlydiverging relationship. Such wooden handles have become relativelyexpensive and substantial savings can be obtained by using moldedplastic handles. This presents a problem, however, in that these moldedplastic handles cannot be made with the undercut grooves. This inventionsolves that problem.

For purposes of this application, diverging is defined as sloping at anacute angle to the handle axis.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a brush constructionwhich permits the use of a molded plastic handle which includes aspecific groove configuration for securely anchoring thebristle-mounting wire and facilitates manufacture while maintaining thedesired forwardly diverging orientation of the bristles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a brush havinga molded plastic handle having a generally Vshaped groove formed thereinwith the back surface of the groove disposed generally normal to theaxis of the handle to form a bristle-engaging shoulder and provided witha shouldered wirereceiving recess in the base of the groove'toreceivethe initial anchoring convolution of the bare wire and anchor thebristle-carrying convolution of the wire against movement axially of thehandle and thus permit the outer bristle-directing convolution of thewire tobe positively held against the outer base portions of thebristles by the shoulder formed by the back surface of the groove todirect the bristles forwardly in the desired diverging relation to theaxis of the handle.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will beapparent from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein like reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing my new molded plastic handleconstruction;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of completed brush with my new handleconstruction; and

Flg. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the completedbrush shown in FIG. 2 drawn to an enlarged scale. A

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 pro vide a brush forwashing hollow articles such as drinking glasses and having a spindle orhandle" member designated as an entirety by the numberal 5. The rear endof the handle is tapered slightly and is provided with anchoring grooves6 which serve to hold the same firmly within a base socket member (notshown). A spiral bristle receiving groove 7 extends helically forwardlyfrom the base or rear portion of the handle and is of conventionalrectangular cross section.

The forward end portion of the handle has a plurality ofcircumferentially formed grooves having a V-shaped cross section anddesignated by the numeral 8. The grooves 8 have a back shoulder surface8a which is disposed normal to the axis of the handle and forms abristle-engaging shoulder. The forward surface 8b of each groove 8 istapered forwardly and outwardly at the desired angle of divergence ofthe layer of bristles wrapped therewith. The surfaces 8a and 8b merge atthe base of each groove 8 and a circumferential wirereceiving andanchoring recess is formed at said base. Said recess has straight sidesnormal to the handle axis to positively anchor said wire againstslippage axially of the handle. In the form shown three grooves 8 arepro-.

vided in the handle 5, however the number of such grooves is merely amatter of design and choice in the particular brush constructiondesired.

The forward end of the spindle or handle member 5 has a generallycylindrical forward tip element 10 terminating at its rear end or basein a shoulder surface 10a disposed normal to the axis of the handle anda circumferential anchoring recess 10b is provided in said tip 10 inslightly spaced relation forwardly of said shoulder surface 10a. Thedepth of this recess 10]) is approximately one-half the diameter of thebristle holding wire.

In the form shown, a groove 9 is provided between the tip 10 and theseries of grooves 8 and this groove 9 also has shoulder 9a normal to thehandle axis and a circumferential anchoring recess 9b at the basethereof adjacent to a shoulder 9a. Said groove 9 also has a sloping ortapered surface 9(- and in the form shown the angle between this taperedsurface and the axis of the handle is slightly less than the angleformed be tween the sloping surface 817 and the handle axis so that theangle of divergence of the bristles wound in groove 9 will be less thanthe angle of divergence of the bristles wound in grooves 8.

The following is a description of the method used for attaching thebristles to the handle of the brush. The bristle holding wire isdesignated as an entirety by the numeral 11. The operator initiallyinserts the end portion of a length of wire through a hole 5a formedthrough forward portion of tapered surface 90. A short length of thewire is initially inserted through the hole 5a to provide a freeanchoring end portion 11a. The main length of wire is bent forwardly inone of the two notches 512 provided in the forward end portions oftapered surface 90 at the ends of the hole 50 and the wire is thenwrapped around the tip 10 in the circumferential groove 10b. The handleor spindle 5 is rotated in a conventional manner as by a lathe (notshown). The main length of wire is then wound around the tip 10 be hindthe groove 10b and thence forwardly over the wire in the groove tosecurely anchor the wire to the handle 5. The wire is then wound by theoperator around the tip 10 with bristles 12 inserted thereunder andanchored at their midpoints in a manner presently used in themanufacture of brushes. The wire is then wrapped around the outside ofthe bristles a number of times as indicated at 11b so that the bristleswill be directed axially forwardly around the tip 10 and the length ofsaid bristles is sufficient so that they extend a substantial distanceforwardly beyond the tip in generally parallel relation to the axis ofthe handle. The wire is then extended rearwardly back to thecircumferential anchoring recess 9b and wound one complete convolutiontherein. Thereafter a second row of bristles is fed under the nextconvolution of the wire ahead of the shoulder 9a and this row ofbristles is securely anchored against the sloping surface 9c by theouter wrapped convolutions 11c, the angle of divergence of the bristlesbeing established by the angle of taper of the surface 9c. The anchoringend of the wire 11a is securely fastened to the portion of the wire 11as by being twisted therewith at 11d adjacent to the overwrappedconvolution 110. as shown in FIG. 3.

The wire 11 is then extended rearwardly across sloping forwardmosttapered surface 81; and into recess 80 where one convolution of barewire is wound to prevent axial slippage of the wire. Thereafter theoperator feeds in another row of the bristles 12 under the nextconvolution of wire and an overlying convolution of wire is wound at thebase of this row of bristles to produce the desired forward divergencyof that row of bristles. This process is repeated for the other grooves8. Spiral groove 7 extends to the rear end portion of the handle. andconstitutes the conventional spirally oriented groove common to thistype of brush. The wire proceeds from rear groove 8 directly into thespirally oriented groove 7. Thereafter forward divergence of thebristles is not desired and the bristles will be oriented generallyperpendicular to the axis of the spindle or handle member by thestraight sides of spiral groove 7 in the conventional manner used in thepresent manufacture of brushes by merely wrapping the wire andcontinuously feeding the groups of bristles until the end of the spiralgroove 7 is reached where the rear end of the wire 11 can be finallyanchored as by a pin or nail 13 in a conventional manner.

It will be seen that l have provided an improved brush having a moldedplastic handle which is specifically designed to positively anchor thebristle holding wire in the desired position within the respectivegroove configuration at the forward end of the brush and prevent axialslipping of the wire and the bristles wound thereunder. Withconventional wooden handles the forward grooves are undercut to providea overlying shoulder to direct the bristles forwardly at the desiredangle of divegence. With the molded plastic handle this angle ofdivergence is obtained by winding a third convolution of bare wirearound the base portion of the respective bristle containingconvolution.

The method of winding the bristle holding wire includes initiallyproviding a first anchoring convolution wound in an anchoring recessthereafter feeding in the bristles under the next convolution of thewire and finally providing one or more outer convolutions to produce thedesired angle of divergence of that row of bristles. This produces abrush construction with improved bristle stability while permitting theuse of the molded plastic handle construction to reduce the cost thereofand provide a more durable handle or spindle member.

It will, of course. be understood that various changes may be made inthe form. details. arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A brush comprising.

a. an elongated handle made from molded plastic material and having b. aplurality of longitudinally spaced apart circumferential bristlereceiving grooves each having a generally V-shaped cross section. atleast certain of said grooves having:

1. a rear shoulder generally normal to the axis of the handle,

2. a forwardly extending bristle engaging and positioning surface. and

3. a circumferential wire-receiving and achoring recess formed in saidforwardly extending surface,

c. a bristle holding wire having at least three convolutions wound ineach groove:

1. a bristle holding convolution having bristles clamped thereunder,

2. an anchoring convolution underlying said bristleholding convolutionand received in the recess to prevent said wire from slipping on thehandle. and

3. a bristle positioning convolution overlying said bristles and holdingthe same at the desired angle of divergence to the axis of the handle.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 and said rear shoulder and saidforwardly extending surface intersecting to form an apex for each grooveand at least certain of said recesses being positioned at said apex.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and said certain recesses beingapproximately the same depth as the diameter of the wire.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 and said certain recesses havingsubstantially straight side walls.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1 and said rear shoulder and saidforwardly extending surface intersect to form an apex for each grooveand certain of said recesses being spaced slightly forwardly of the apexof its groove.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and said certain recesses having adepth less than the diameter of the wire. and a fourth convolution ofthe wire overlying a portion of the wire in the recess to securelyanchor the same therein and prevent slippage of the wire on the handle.

1. A brush comprising, a. an elongated handle made from molded plasticmaterial and having b. a plurality of longitudinally spaced apartcircumferential bristle receiving grooves each having a generallyV-shaped cross section, at least certain of said grooves having:
 1. arear shoulder generally normal to the axis of the handle,
 2. a forwardlyextending bristle engaging and positioning surface, and
 3. acircumferential wire-receiving and achoring recess formed in saidforwardly extending surface, c. a bristle holding wire having at leastthree convolutions wound in each groove:
 1. a bristle holdingconvolution having bristles clamped thereunder,
 2. an anchoringconvolution underlying said bristleholding convolution and received inthe recess to prevent said wire from slipping on the handle, and
 3. abristle positioning convolution overlying said bristles and holding thesame at the desired angle of divergence to the axis of the handle.
 2. aforwardly extending bristle engaging and positioning surface, and
 2. Thestructure set forth in claim 1 and said rear shoulder and said forwardlyextending Surface intersecting to form an apex for each groove and atleast certain of said recesses being positioned at said apex.
 2. ananchoring convolution underlying said bristleholding convolution andreceived in the recess to prevent said wire from slipping on the handle,and
 3. a circumferential wire-receiving and achoring recess formed insaid forwardly extending surface, c. a bristle holding wire having atleast three convolutions wound in each groove:
 3. a bristle positioningconvolution overlying said bristles and holding the same at the desiredangle of divergence to the axis of the handle.
 3. The structure setforth in claim 2 and said certain recesses being approximately the samedepth as the diameter of the wire.
 4. The structure set forth in claim 3and said certain recesses having substantially straight side walls. 5.The structure set forth in claim 1 and said rear shoulder and saidforwardly extending surface intersect to form an apex for each grooveand certain of said recesses being spaced slightly forwardly of the apexof its groove.
 6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and said certainrecesses having a depth less than the diameter of the wire, and a fourthconvolution of the wire overlying a portion of the wire in the recess tosecurely anchor the same therein and prevent slippage of the wire on thehandle.